


Worthiness

by SociallyUnacceptableOrb



Category: Hoshi no Kaabii | Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Genre: Galaxia Is Kind Of A Bitch, Gen, Minute Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21532915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyUnacceptableOrb/pseuds/SociallyUnacceptableOrb
Summary: Garlude and Meta Knight go on a nice mission to retrieve Galaxia from Kirasakin.
Kudos: 23





	Worthiness

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still alive, don'tcha worry.

The great beast Kirasakin slumbered at the base of the stone, guarding his trophy. Meta Knight and Garlude quietly peered inside the cave’s mouth to make sure that he did not stir, and quickly pulled their heads out to devise a plan.

“You know, they’re not very smart,” Garlude said. “Sure, they understand basic problem-solving, but they’re not too good with thinking for the long run.”

“This breed, or monsters in general?” Meta Knight asked. “I can’t help but feel that our odds are the same regardless of its IQ points.”

“Just throwing out the idea, alright?” she defended, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Believe me, if we only had to deal with a bunch of snotty know-it-alls with the muscle mass of a graham cracker, then we’d already saved Jack by now.”

“You seem to be channeling him with that insult, my friend.” Meta Knight dryly replied. “But there just might be a certain logic to that. If we can tire them out by attacking sporadically, then we just may be able to escape without harm coming to either us or them.”

“But that’s only if we wake it up,” Garlude said, peering around the lip one last time. “And since when did you start caring about monsters, Meta Knight?”

“This is more for your sake.” He replied. “The last thing I want is to remind you of NME.”

Garlude froze, a sudden jolt from a repressed memory shaking her to her core. She shivered and breathed in deep, dissuading the uncomfortable feeling before mumbling, “Thanks. Real thoughtful of you.”

“Naturally.” Meta Knight said. The duo entered the cave silently.

**Why do you come here?**

The two of them jumped at the sudden voice.

“Garlude!” Meta Knight harshly whispered. “That isn’t funny, quit throwing your voice like that!”

“Why would I be throwing my voice, Meta Knight?” Garlude demanded. “Who tries to make ventriloquism jokes during a recon mission?!”

Before Meta Knight could respond, the disembodied voice spoke up again.

**I am Galaxia, the scared sword of ages. Why do you come here?**

Meta Knight narrowed his eyes as he looked at the sword. His gaze shifted briefly to the monster before taking a deep breath and greeting it.

“Hello,” he said, keeping his voice low. “My name is Meta Knight, and this is Garlude. We come in search of power that can conquer NME. He has taken one of our friends as a hostage, and we’re sadly in no position to save him, what with our dwindling numbers.”

**Oh, dear. What a sad situation.**

“It’s one you can relate to, I’m certain.” Meta Knight replied with a curt nod. “Our only desire is to free you, but on your own terms. Decide which one of us is worthy enough to wield you, so that we may slay this beast and rescue our ally.”

**Worthy?**

“Yes,” Meta Knight said. “Your legends always spoke of-”

**And what makes you believe that you are so worthy? What, truly, is a person worth? How do you measure that?**

A tense silence filled the room, with the only noise being Kirasakin’s low, rhythmic breathing. Neither of them had anticipated the artifact to be so… candid. Clearly, eons trapped inside a cave with an ever-dwindling hope of rescue had left the artifact a lonely, bitter thing.

“Well, if you want a hero, Meta Knight is a great guy for the job!” Garlude spoke up, patting her friend on the head. Despite the annoyed glance he shot her way, she continued. “He’s one of the strongest warriors in our entire army, descended from a lineage of royalty, and he’s humble, too!”

Meta Knight blankly stared at her. Garlude cleared her throat and attempted to rephrase her statement.

“What I mean is, Meta Knight is more than just a strong warrior. He’s got a good heart and a good mind between his shoulders. Though he does get a little grouchy at times...” Garlude giggled as Meta Knight rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t let fame go to his head, and he’s always ready to do the right thing. He’s more than worthy to wield you, Galaxia.”

Galaxia did not respond. In an attempt to appeal to it again, Meta Knight spoke up.

“Garlude is also quite heroic. She was not born into any proud dynasties, much the opposite. But she’s chosen the path of heroism in spite of her upbringing.” He said as he knelt down. “I believe she is the worthiest between us.”

**Very well. If that’s so, then rise and meet me.**

They both paused. Garlude leaned over to Meta Knight and said, “Who do you think it chose?”

“If I had to guess, that would be mystical artifact speak for ‘I don’t care who you are, get me out of here already’ or something.” Meta Knight quipped.

But their window of opportunity had closed; the great beast was awakening with a low growl. As they rose from their slumber, the two knights quickly drew their weapons and stood their ground. Kirasakin lunged at Meta Knight, the spherical swordsman bounding out of the way as the bedrock shattered. Garlude slashed at the monster’s heels as Meta Knight leapt for their throat. Kirasakin bellowed in pain as swords ripped through their leg and neck, buckling and nearly flattening the two warriors beneath them.

Garlude took the opportunity to scale the fuzzy beast’s body and plunge her weapon into their back. Kirsakin immediately bucked, and she was tossed into the cave’s wall, the sword remaining firmly buried in its back. As Meta Knight was currently preoccupied with the monster, Garlude decided it was good a time as any to test her theory. After catching her breath for a second, she sprinted to the stone where the weapon laid, and grabbed the sword’s handle with both hands.

**Concentrate. Allow the power to course through you.**

Agony was the first word that came to mind as a powerful surge of energy blasted through her body. She cried out in pain, clamping harder onto the hilt with a white-knuckle grip as she strained to pull the sword free. Maybe she was wrong, maybe she wasn’t the chosen one… worse yet, maybe neither of them was the chosen one and this was Galaxia’s way of punishing them for their hubris.

**You may want to look out.**

Garlude could feel the monster’s hot, sticky breath on the back of her neck as she managed to unearth the sword, electricity crackling all about her. There wasn’t enough time for her to turn around and defend herself without either her or the sword being ripped to bits. Instead, she threw the sword to Meta Knight in the hopes that Galaxia wasn’t a fickle weapon. As the sword left her hands, the monster’s claws connected with her back and knocked her to the ground.

Kirasakin gave a tiny whine as the residual energy shocked them, giving Meta Knight enough time to catch and unsheathe the blade. Though she could barely lift herself off the ground, Garlude could see that he had managed to take a defensive stance despite wincing at the shocks coursing through his body. Kirasakin roared in anger and lunged at the spherical swordsman, intent on reclaiming their prize as the two clashed.

As they clashed, Garlude laid on the ground unmoving; it was a small mercy that the beast’s claws hadn’t fully paralyzed her. Selfish as it was, she couldn’t help but feel like she’d been forgotten in the clash over the holy sword, bleeding and exhausted. Her eyes darted over to the left, and she saw her sword. It was only a few inches away, but even moving her fingers took a herculean effort. After what felt like an eternity, her hand was able to grab around the hilt.

But Kirasakin intercepted her before she could get the chance to get up, his jaws clamping around the back of her neck as he lifted her up and ran from the blue knight. The last thing she heard before she blacked out was Galaxia’s voice ringing in her head.

**If it’s all the same to you, I thought you were _very_ worthy.**

* * *

Whether she was playing dead or actually on the brink didn’t matter to Kirasakin; they needed _something_ to bring back to Nightmare, and a Star Warrior was just as good as a dusty old sword. Their new prize dangled limply in their jaws as they carried her down through the cave by the scuff of her neck. Garlude was fading in and out of consciousness from sheer agony, only to be quickly thrust back into lucidity when Kirasakin emitted a cry of pain and lurched backwards.

She dropped from their jowls and slammed against the ground, the force of the fall opening back up the scabbing gash on her back. Garlude gasped and shuddered as pain arced up her spine. Unable to do much else, she rolled over onto her stomach and looked up at Kirasakin as she huffed for air. The monster’s foreleg had a massive wound bored right above the claw – the same one that Garlude had given them – which they regarded with a dissatisfied growl as they looked between their leg and the violent sandstorm raging outside. The two were an at impasse for certain; it was just a matter of time before one of them bled out in this cave.

“Hold still,” Garlude said as she struggled closer, crawling on her belly and pulling herself up onto her knees. The beast roared and recoiled, but she simply raised her voice and repeated herself. “Hold still! Let me help you.”

Kirasakin growled again and attempted to lick their wound, but Garlude shoved their face out of the way and ripped off a chunk of her cape. With the leg on her lap, she began to bandage the gash; it wasn’t her best work for certain, but it’d do in a pinch and keep the sand from irritating it. Kirasakin stared openly at her, unsure of how to respond. After she’d finished the tourniquet, she grunted with a nod and limped towards the opening of the cave.

The beast suddenly took a step forward, barring her from leaving with one massive claw. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt their warm breath hit her again. But this time, Kirasakin gave a low growl and picked her up with one of their hooks, gently laying her down on their back.

Kirasakin trudged through the tempest sporting a visible limp as Garlude laid in their fluffy back fur. She watched the wind above her whistle past, her face mere inches from being buffeted against the grain. She thought about Galaxia and Meta Knight, and how they felt right now. She thought about Jack and what Nightmare would have planned for the both of them.

Garlude closed her eyes, knowing fully well it may be her final night of peaceful slumber.


End file.
